The key staple here is anchovies (acciughe; ah-CHOO-gay) — ideally served the day they're caught. There's nothing cool about being an anchovy virgin. If you've always hated anchovies (the harsh, cured-in-salt American kind), try them fresh here.
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This region is the birthplace of pesto. Basil, which loves the temperate Ligurian climate, is ground with cheese (half parmigiano cow cheese and half pecorino sheep cheese), garlic, olive oil, and pine nuts, and then poured over pasta.
You can walk the entire route in about six hours, if you take short breaks—although many hikers prefer to spread the route out over a few days at a strolling pace, stopping to enjoy the towns along the way. You can start from either direction (Monterosso, heading south, or Riomaggiore, heading north).
Shopping and pricesThe Cinque Terre is not cheap. As everywhere in the world, tourism has raised prices. I often go to the market of La Spezia to shop for food, it's much cheaper than the stores of the villages. In restaurants, you have to expect Western European prices.
Vernazza: Located to the north of the Cinque Terre, Vernazza is probably the most beautiful and picturesque fishing village of Cinque Terre, where its colourful houses hang above the sea level on rugged cliffs. It has a charming natural port and an old castle, built to protect the area from pirates.
Manarola is one of the most famous villages of the scenic Cinque Terre coastline. The village has a small harbor with a boat ramp, picturesque multicoloured houses facing the sea and a tiny piazza with seafood restaurants.
A classic aperitif here in the Cinque Terre is a nice plate of anchovies presented filleted, arranged on a plate in an orderly 'petal' shape. A simple condiment, a drizzle of Ligurian olive oil and a small piece of garlic, they match very well with the white wine of the Cinque Terre and its salinity.
Mussels and anchovies are typical La Spezia food. “I fancy some fish, but I am on a budget,” say those who know how expensive eating seafood in many Italian cities can be. If you want to eat carbon-free in the La Spezia area, enjoying seafood at affordable prices is possible.